Ep. 132: New Year, New Stores, New Fun

In this episode, we’re joined once again by Carrie Charleston and Ashley Hofman from Mall of America’s leasing team, the minds behind the mix. Together, we explore how new retail, dining, and experiential concepts come together to create unforgettable moments for guests. From viral openings like KPOP NARA and Pop Mart, to nostalgic collaborations like Hello Kitty + Friends Build-A-Bear, to crowd-drawing moments like Tom Brady’s appearance for CardVault.   We’ll also dig into the evolving food scene with brands like Giordano’s, Sweetgreen, and Sweet Crunch Tanghulu, and look ahead to what’s coming next including immersive experiences like Vatican Unveiled and exciting new additions like DUCK, Mogouyan Noodle, Roni’s Mac Bar, and Mango.   This conversation goes beyond square footage and storefronts. It’s about timing, storytelling, guest emotion, and why leasing at Mall of America is really about creating moments people remember long after they leave.   1:10       New shopping, dining and fun additions and Ahley’s obsession with Labubus 3:00       Take time to explore recently opened Mavi jeans, MINISO and Card Vault by Tom Brady 8:15       KPOP Nara soon to open at MOA, the newest addition in Asian pop music + culture 12:25    Hello Kitty partners with Build A Bear, bringing generations together 13:30    Chicago-style pizza Giordano’s to Mogouyan hand-pulled noodles and Sweetgreen 18:45    Duck! claw-machine experience, Primark fashion and home-forward, Mango fashion 21:45    J. Crew and Banana Republic capturing nostalgia and forward-looking fashion coming soon   To learn more, visit: https://www.vikings.com/ and https://www.vikings.com/fans/   Guests: Carrie Charleston, Vice President + Head of Leasing; Ashley Hofmann, Leasing Director at Mall of America   Your host: Jill Renslow, Daniel Jasper   Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.